Article in the Indian Express - Septermber 4, 2010

This article appeared in my Sunday column 'Un Intended' in the New Indian Express yesterday.

THE INDIAN SUPERBUG THAT LANCET MISSED

Harimohan Paruvu

We Indians have always known that a Superbug exists in India, much before the other report came out. Our Superbug is not just resistant to antibiotics – it is resistant to all super medicines manufactured by super pharmaceutical companies for our super hospitals. Our Great Indian Superbug has some distinct features that differentiate it from the other bugs mentioned in the report. For one, it affects a miniscule population only, making it a bad commercial proposition, and secondly, we already have a cure for that.

Our Superbug (named Super Humbug by our local researchers for reasons unknown) does not strike normal people. It lurks at courthouses and police stations, watching carefully. It judiciously exempts poor, ordinary souls, quickly zeroes in on its clientele and then strikes - the rich and famous, the powerful and moneyed. The classic symptoms of Super Humbug attacks show up within moments of their arrest, conviction, or a hint of being sent to jail - the affected parties clutch at their hearts complaining of severe chest pain. Hushed whispers go around - The Super Humbug Strikes! Cops wheel out wheel chairs with great alacrity, having seen the Super Humbug at play many times before, seat the healthy frames of the Humbug-affected and wheel them to Super Hospitals round the corner. Affecting mainly those suspected of scams, murders and other crimes, the Super Humbug is a creature of justice, laying its victims low at the court itself.

The Super Humbug-affected are taken through what appears to be a well-oiled procedure (i.e. well-oiled wheel chairs and stretchers). Well-oiled hospital staff await the affected at the front door, or at the city gates even, with their best well-oiled doctors leading from the front. They begin treatment right away by proclaiming that the party cannot be moved until further orders. No interviews, no stress. The Super Humbug may get irritated. Patience pays, they say. And, soon we all realize that it indeed does.

Everyone waits – the police, the public, the judiciary – as the Super Humbug resists everything from antibiotics to injections, doctors to investigating agencies. Slowly but steadily the Humbug wins the battle, confining affected parties to a life time in hospitals, rendering patients too weak to go to the courthouse. However they are fine enough to continue all sorts of other activities like meeting friends, family, lawyers etc and running parallel lives. It is a kind thing, our Super Humbug.

Unfortunately doctors cannot predict the Humbug’s behavior. In fact the Super Humbug appears to affect doctors as well, as they contradict themselves, over a period of time. First they aver that the only known treatment is a long rest in the best rooms in the hospital, and the next day they send the affected home.

No one knows when modern medicine will finally find a cure to the Great Indian Super Humbug. For medical answers, it might be wiser to increase research-spending to find out - it would be much cheaper (scams included) than the cost of deploying cops, doctors etc at the disposal of the affected. And one way or another, until a medical cure is found for the patients (or doctors), the Super Humbug will remain a pain in several parts of the body for the public.

Luckily in India, we have an alternative cure for the Super Humbug. Not proven scientifically or anything of course. Our cure is called ‘Bail’. It works like magic on this Humbug. Patients are up on their feet in two days they say! So take that Super Humbug, we got your number. And we will get you soon.

Silence

Since 5 p.m. last evening I have been silent. My overused and abused vocal chords desired some rest and since they found that I was not heeding their request, they decided to go on strike and shut down operations until they got some rest. I have not been able to get a squeak (maybe a squeak once in a while) since. I am watching this new experience quietly.

The cell phone rings, and I let it because I cannot answer it. I go to the shop and take a pen and paper along with me to indicate what I want. I notice the receptionist at the nursing home suppress her laughter as she tries to figure out what I am saying. I am generally to myself, smiling, laughing, gesturing and doing everything else except speak. The one thing I do wish when people talk to me - could you please word it in a way that I can say Yes or No so i can communicate back to you. Especially since you know my current predicament.

Anjali, my two year old (almost three actually) seems to understand the best. After a few futile attempts to get me to read to her, she figured that my trouble was for real. And she just stopped asking questions that require long answers. Once in a while she reaches out, touches my throat and sympathises with whoever is nearest. And of course, she gives me her famous one-handed hugs when she thinks I need them. And her equally famous kisses on demand, promptly wiping away her lips post-kiss!

From the looks of it, I guess I am in quiet zone for a little while longer. Progress is slow but its there. Am enjoying this quiet spell. I remember two periods in my life when I was in this silent zone - once by choice and once before because the vocal chords protested. That was during some cultural festival or something where we shouted down our opposition so bad that my throat went for a toss for a few days. That was really bad I recall now. Then there was Vipassana, the Buddhist meditation course where one has to remain silent for the duration of the course which was 10 days. I found that concept interesting and decided to do the course after I quit my job with IDBI. Being quiet for 10 days was not difficult at all I found though meditating for 10 hours in a day was.

And I watch and observe and hear and respond physically, feeling how it is to be deprived of the use of anything more than a whisper - I have to be almost a foot from the other person to even catch their attention!

Workshop Done

The 2 day workshop at ABS concluded today. Went off well, got some good feedback about the sessions and how I could modify or use them better. I am impressed that they actually stuck out the 2 days despite all the tough questions, lots of self-introspection and stuff like that which they are not used to. I am really impressed with that.

My throat which was playing up just about took me to the finish line and now it hurts like hell. I am also just about able to squeak - haven't spoken a word since 5 in the evening. Hoping that some rest will do the trick and I will be back to normal by tomorrow morning. I did miss out some 10% in the end in terms of concluding the workshop properly due to my sore throat but hearing the students give their feedback, I realised that they pretty much got what I intended them to.

Good luck my young friends at ABS and wishing that you get all that you dream about and much more!

End of Day 1 - Workshop at ABS

Tiring day. Restless crowd. But intelligent. And willing to stick it out. Want to see how many turn up tomorrow though.


Tough questions. Difficult concepts. Not easy to digest. I cut out the Detailed Action Planning session totally and merely explained the concept.

Tomorrow I propose to go at the self-worth bit thoroughly, brush up today's stuff and get some feedback from the students about the experience. 

2 Day Workshop at Aurora's Business College

I am doing a 2 day workshop on 'Developing the Champion's Mindset' at Aurora's Business College, Punjagutta on Sep 3 and 4, 2010 i.e. today and tomorrow. the workshop will be from 930 a.m. to 5 p.m. on  both days.
 It is one of the bigger groups, with about 70 students, and should be a challenge.

Do wish I had an assistant for this workshop who has already done the workshop. I need to train someone in that now.

Rohit Ranka a.k.a Noel - Cute, Mischievous and Savvy

Meet Rohit Ranka, the cute 13 year old who plays the role of another cute young lad from 'The Men Within' - Noel. At first sight, most agree that he fits the image that Noel conjures, and I agree to that as well. Wiry, vulnerable and mischievous - Rohit has a side to him that makes him constantly the centre of attention. Whether pulling somebody's leg or getting someone into trouble, the trail normally leads to this youngster who will look back and query - 'What sir? I did not do anything sir? He only...'

Rohit alias Noel at Don Bosco  - check out his cap!

Get the picture? That is Rohit for you. Studying in his ninth class at Gitanjali School in Begumpet he is already into his 2nd movie with this (he has done a documentary as well). His latest, Lotus Pond, is due for release in November. Rohit is an actor, and has not many pretensions about his cricketing abilities. He tries his best though and never doubts his ability even in doing things that might be difficult for him. 'Yes sir, I can do it sir,' he says though I know that it will be difficult for his ability. He tries whole heartedly and more often than not, succeeds. I do admire that confidence that these boys have in doing things they are not trained to. Like taking high catches for example.

Rohit trained under Altaf sir and took acting courses under him. He has done several skits, acted in plays and performed in dance shows.  He is fully focused on an acting career he says, and will train further towards it. He appears a natural at it as well, conscious of his looks, his clothes. From a non-filmi background, Rohit's father is a businessman and mother a housewife. Rohit has an older brother and a younger sister.

In his free time Rohit plays computer games, squats on facebook, plays online games. Not one for outdoor games he prefers playing caroms, table tennis and badminton. His favourite actors are Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor and his list of great movies include 3 Idiots, Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai.

'I love my role as Noel,' says the young lad with a cheeky smile. He enjoyed  the shoot so far he says and loved meeting so many new people. Rohit has a mature head on his young shoulders and is one of the few youngsters his age who knows his strengths very well. It's almost as if he knows that he will make it, somehow, just a question of when. On the sets, one can see him constantly running away from one guy or another, who he has played some trick upon. On the other hand, one can also see him spending time with technicians from different departments, talking intensely, about God knows what. I am sure he has all their numbers with him.

Rohit is a pleasure to have on the sets because he is so lively and brings a freshness to the whole atmosphere. He did his cricket parts gamely and will pass muster comfortably in cricketing aspects. That is a big thumbs up for him in itself, because he started almost from scratch. One of the things I will not forget about Rohit was the bat he brought to the sets - his personal one. And it is clearly the heaviest bat I have ever lifted in my life - and I have seen some heavy ones - how this wisp of a boy thought  he could play with that bat was always a mystery to me. 'I like this bat sir,' he avers and lugs it around. Thankfully, I think that bat broke sometime in the nets. 'I will get it repaired sir,' says the young lad. With Rohit you just know he will get it repaired and most likely use it again as well.

Undoubtedly one of those guys who will light up the screen someday in my opinion and will do a good job as well. Here's wishing you luck Rohit, and From my side, you do fulfill all my expectations of the actor playing my favourite character in the book!

Lalith a.k.a. Rajinder Singh - Hardworking, Tenacious and Always Game

Meet Lalith who plays the role of Rajinder Singh, the doughty wicket keeper of the GHS team. Lalith may not be a sardar like Rajinder Singh but he has all the other qualities that Rajinder Singh exemplifies. Lalith is as tenacious and hardworking as they come. Moreover, he is the only one from a cricketing background entirely and has zero exposure to acting. But the way he has shaped up in the movie is great to watch.

The doughty little sardar Rajinder Singh a.k.a Lalith

I have been watching Lalith for the past few years because he is a regular at the ML Jaisimha Cricket Academy. He was one of the smallest kids there maybe four years ago, that it really surprises me to see him with a fledgling mustache now, fast growing into a teenager. But from the first day at nets one could make out that this boy is serious about his cricket, is respectful to both the coach and the game and is hardworking to boot. It is this very attitude of his that make shim a ready trier - he auditioned for the role and went through the entire shoot without a murmur - and I think its his steady attitude that makes him adjust easily to unfamiliar roles and be good at them as well.

'I thought there would be a lot of cricket matches and stuff sir,' says he. 'I never thought they would shoot like this - bit by bit, block by block.' He is the one guy who always wants to play a match, wants to practice, wants to play each and every ball as if he is in the nets (unlike the others who know what to do to look good in the shot). Lalith is now 13 and studies at Bolton High School, Secunderabad. His career ambitions are clear. He would like to become a cricketer and a pilot. What about acting? He says if he gets opportunities he will pursue it as well. Talk of being open to opportunities! 

He loves his share of movies and stuff. He liked watching Leader, Aisha and This is it. He admires Hritik and Aishwarya and on the cricket field Sachin, who is his role model as well. 'I want to play for the Under 16 state,' he declares. 'I need to play leagues and get at least 3 to 4 hundreds in the  season. I want to play Ranji by 16 and play for India by 20.' But he is going to keep his other option open as well. 'I will study MPC and then go to Australia to be a commercial pilot,' he says.

In his free time Lalith plays table tennis, cricket, goes swimming and watches Pogo. I learnt acting from the others on the sets he says. He is a real livewire and we have watched him change from a reserved young lad into a mischievous young man who gets along well with everyone on the sets. 'I learn how to talk to everyone and developed my social skills tremendously,' he says about his learning from the sets.

Lalith is immensely likeable because he comes across as an honest, straightforward young man who has the right intentions about him. His values, basics are right and he has a wonderful attitude of working hard, giving that extra bit and keeping a positive air about him. It was a huge relief to have him in the GHS side because he is the one cricketer apart from Sreeraj who trains regularly. And his attitude was there for all to see in the practice game we played with the 2 camera set up, he waded into the fast bowlers much as the Rajinder Singh in the book does (and these guys are fast and big) and hit them off for several boundaries. No one can forget his dive, on that rock hard Don Bosco ground, as he flew to save himself from being run out. That's Lalith for you, giving his 100%  whether its a take or a monitor, enjoying the game by giving his best always. If there's a game to be played give it my 100% seems to be his motto. He was down with a mild sunstroke in the harsh summer but he never complained - just rested a bit and was back. I am really enjoying seeing this new side to him, his perpetual smile, his open and earnest talk and his constant mischief.

Can't hold back an attitude like that can you? He will do well, this Rajinder, whether he plays, flies, acts or whatever. And he will never think twice when it comes to doing the right thing.